Obsessive-compulsive Disorder: a General Overview

Worrying about several issues in one’s life is normal. We have to make sure if we have really locked the door and we have to wash our hands a few times a day properly to avoid germs and these acts are absolutely natural and understandable. Yet if we notice we are doing similar things excessively, something might be wrong with us. Obsessions can be unwanted ideas, thoughts that will not go away, and compulsion is an irresistable urge to behave in a certain way. To simplify the determination of the disorder, the patient has uncontrollable thoughts, and has to do things that he or she does not want to in order relieve pressure and stress.

Consequently OCD is an anxiety disorder. People who suffer from it might realize that their obsessions are superfluous but they can not do anything to make them stop. Even if they try to make them disappear without help, in the end it will only worsen their condition by increasing anxiety and distress. Unfortunately, the causes are not clear. The disorder is mainly developed before the age of 30 and it can be connected to head injuries and several infections, but brain abnormalities can not be found (Burke, 2012). However, in certain cases the cause of OCD can be the combination of behavioral, neurological, genetic and environmental factors (Nichols, 2014).

Since this disorder is not something people would gladly talk about, they often hide their symptoms because they are afraid and embarassed of it. Though there are many signs that can be noticed around a person with OCD. A great example for it is the popular TV show called "Monk" (Silverman, n.d.). The main character has several problems and he spends his time acting weird because of his compulsive thoughts and habits, such as using sanitizer after shaking hands with someone or finding the perfect place for every single object, wherever he is and he is mainly afraid of everything - he clearly is dealing with OCD. Other suspicous signs can be checking that nothing horrible will happen, re-reading or rewriting, recounting everything, hoarding things,the urge to touch, tap or rub something. These are the most common issues but there are many more beside these (Nichols, 2014).

Certain tests can be done in order to rule out other conditions when someone with the suspicion of OCD goes to a doctor. Physical examination and blood work are inevitable. If everything seems normal, the doctor might asks the patient to complete different tests, these will help diagnose OCD. Psychological evaluation is also needed. When one is diagnosed with it, the treatment can get strarted. Unfortunately, there are quite a few people with the disorder who do not want to accept that they have it and so they will not want any medical help eventually. For those who really want to get better and are willing to be cured there are a variety of medications that can be really effective. Psychological therapy is also highly recommended, because sometimes the cause of the disorder can be unemployment, school and relationship difficulties or even childbirth (Kelly, 2014).

Living with OCD is actually really hard. People tend to think about others who have this disorder like they are insane or something is wrong with their minds. But the truth is that they do not even know about the real problem, and for an outsider it might be difficult to understand what a person with OCD goes through every single day. It can happen that they have to suffer quietly from their symptoms, simply because they do not find understanding and they are afraid to talk about their problems. It can make the patient feel lonely and there is a chance for them to become antisocial eventually. This disorder did not have enough attention in the past, but fortunately it has changed. We might not even know that it is a relatively common disease, and it affects almost 2.5% people during their lives (Kelly, 2014). We can not even imagine what it is like to live our lives with those distressing symptoms, which can ruin one’s life.

As can be seen, OCD is extremely complex. It is not something someone can get rid of easily. To cure this, the concerned person will need understanding people around him or her, a lot of support, and proper medical help. We have to be able to help one realize that this is a very dangerous and important issue which can not be belittled, it is as important as a lot of other disorders and illnesses. Unfortunately it seems like OCD is becoming more common than it was a few decades ago.